The (Almost) First Thanksgiving
by sanumarox123
Summary: For sugar free vanilla, using the prompt she forwarded to me because she doesn't know anything about Thanksgiving. / AU. Sort of.


**(Holy crap two stories in one day. Well then.)**

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**O****kay, so sugar free vanilla has no idea what Thanksgiving is, so I forced her to text me the prompt she was given, and I decided to do it, since I live in America and all.**

**Wait. I'm gonna need research, too.**

**Disclaimer: Don't. Own. Castle. (Is _Charlie Brown's Thanksgiving_ even a movie? I only know the Christmas one. Lmao.)**

**(AU in the fact that Martha knows how to cook… somewhat. Also, the loft's layout is changed. Just needed to go with the story.)**

**Prompt:** _'Castle and Beckett explain thanksgiving to their kid when he asks why they celebrate it'_

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When Kate walks in the door from work on Thanksgiving Day, the first thing she sees is her daughter, father, and Alexis watching _Charlie Brown's Thanksgiving _on a movie marathon on the television, and the sight of her husband and her mother-in-law in the kitchen, arguing over a pot.

(She hopes Castle didn't let Martha start the cooking, though.)

Kate hangs her coat up, and takes off her heels as she sinks into the couch, happy to be home. Her six year old daughter looks up, and shrieks as she sees her mommy.

"Mommy! You're home! Guess what we did today!" The little dark-haired girl says enthusiastically, her green eyes twinkling.

Kate smiles, and gathers the young girl into her arms, and then reaches out to hug Alexis, and then her dad.

"What did you do?" She inquires as she leans back, ruffling Stephanie's long brown wavy hair affectionately.

Just as the six year old is going to answer, Kate feels her husband press a kiss on her head, and says, "My wife comes home, and she doesn't even come to say hello to me?" He teases, and Kate looks up into his blue eyes filling with mirth. Kate kisses his hand and leans into his palm, and she laughs as their daughter answers haughtily,

"Well, yeah, Daddy. She loves me more than she loves you."

Rick bursts into laughter, as does everyone else in the room, because their daughter obviously inherited Kate's snark, and uses it to put her father in place.

Amidst the laughter, Jim gets up from his spot on the couch and motions that he's going to the kitchen. Kate guesses that it's to make sure Martha hasn't burned the food.

Rick comes around and sits down next to Alexis, who now has Steph in her lap, cuddling her.

Her daughter chatters on about her day for a while, as the four of them watch the movie until they hear the call for dinner coming from Martha.

Steph runs to the table, set for six, and proudly shows everyone their spaces, which she decorated with her art supplies, making everyone their own name card.

The whole family sits down, and busies themselves with filling their plate to the extreme, and dig in. It's delicious, turkey with gravy and stuffing and bread, mashed potatoes… you name it, it's there.

Kate feels nostalgic as she remembers all those Thanksgivings that she and her dad spent alone, together, remembering her mom, and she feels Castle take her hand and squeeze it.

She squeezes back and leans over to peck his cheek, loving the scruff he hadn't remembered to shave off as inspiration hit him that morning.

Everyone listens as Steph chatters on and on about first grade and the new girl in her class that arrived last week, until all the food is gone.

The little girl looks up at her parents and asks, "Mommy, Daddy? Why do we celebrate Thanksgiving?"

Kate exchanges a look with Rick, and he answers, understanding that Kate wants him to explain.

"How about we clear the table and sit by the fire, and we'll explain, okay?"

The six year old nods enthusiastically, and bounds to the couch, leaving the adults to clean everything. Martha and Jim shoo the rest of them off to the fireplace, telling them that they'll clean everything up.

So the Castle and Beckett family all settle down on the couches in front of the tv and the fireplace.

Rick lifts his daughter up onto his knee and Kate settles into him, enjoying the warmth radiating from his body. He puts two arms around his red-headed daughter and his wife, and sinks into the couch.

"So, Steph. You want to know what Thanksgiving is about?"

She nods and waits expectantly, staring into her dad's face.

"So, long ago, in the early 1600s, a group of people in England wanted to pray and worship God in their own way," He begins, and Kate feels his hand twisting the strands of her hair as he figures out how to word the story.

"You know where England is, right?" Alexis butts in and asks her little sister, and Steph shakes her head yes.

Rick continues, "The King controlled the Church of England, and everyone was ordered to go to the same type of church. Anyone who dared to disobey would be sent to jail.

The group of people who wanted to free the Church of England from the King's rule, making it "pure" were known as the Puritans. To escape the rule of the King and his church, around 100 men, women and children left their homeland, with their dream of religious freedom. They sailed on a ship, the Mayflower—on a trip to the New World, which was what is now America."

Stephanie is quiet for the time being, so Kate jumps in, remembering the words her second grade teacher taught her. "These brave travelers—the Pilgrims—landed in Plymouth after their long six-week journey. It was December 11, 1620. The cold winter had set in. The land was strange to them, and nothing seemed familiar."

Then Jim, who had just came into the room, says, "The winter was long, cold, and very hard for the Pilgrims. Luckily, Native Americans helped by supplying them with seeds and food, teaching them about their new home, and giving them the skills needed to survive in a strange, new land."

Lex continues the story and remarks with a sad smile, "The first year in their new home was hard for the Pilgrims. Many died. With seeds and plants received from the Native Americans, the Pilgrims planted crops. The fall harvest was a good one. To celebrate their good fortune, the Pilgrims had a feast of thanksgiving. Many foods were cooked for the feast - wild turkey, duck, and venison were probably served, along with fish, pumpkins, squash, corn, sweet potatoes, and cranberries. Captain Miles Standish, the leader of the Pilgrims invited all of the Native Americans who had helped them so much during their first year. Everyone had a good day of thanksgiving. The feast lasted for three days!"

Finally, Steph says something. "That's a long time to be eating. Didn't they get stuffed up and die?"

They all laugh and Alexis cuddles her little sister closer. Steph joins in and Kate suddenly feels so thankful for this family that she's a part of.

They all look into the dying embers of the fireplace, the soft glow emanating a warmth that is brings a cozy feel to the room. Alexis hands out blankets for everyone, and they all cover themselves, keeping warm.

'This is what family is about', Kate thinks, and she leans closer to Rick, pushing back the memories of all those times she was by herself, and focuses on the present.

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Although this isn't their first Thanksgiving, this certainly is not the last.

And she's thankful for that.

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**Okay I'm sorry I don't know what happened to this.**

**This sucks omg xD Well, Happy Thanksgiving, guys, and I love you all.**

**(SFV, I sincerely hope this at least is something okay lmao. Who knows.)**

**_(Reviews will make my birthday tomorrow ten times better.)_**


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